Antoine Kambanda

Antoine Kambanda (born 10 November 1958) is a Roman Catholic Bishop, vicar of the Diocese of Kibungo.

Birth and education

Antoine Kambanda was born on 10 November 1958 in Rwanda. Shortly after his birth his family moved to Kenya, where he attended elementary and high school. Later he returned to his homeland, where he attended the junior Seminary in Rutongo, Kigali (1983–1984) and the Saint Charles Borromeo Major Seminary of Nyakibanda in Butare (1984–1990).^[1] On 8 September 1990, Kambanda was ordained a priest in Mbare, Kabgayi by Pope John Paul II. After that he was Prefect of Studies (1990–1993) in the minor seminary of St. Vincent in Ndera, Kigali. He then attended the Alphonsian Academy in Rome (1993–1999), where he obtained a doctorate in moral theology.^[1]

Career

Kambanda was appointed Director of the diocesan office of Caritas in Kigali in 1999. He then became director of the Development Committee of the Diocese of Kigali, head of the "Justice and Peace" Commission of the diocese, and professor of moral theology and visitor at the Nyakibanda Major Seminary.^[1] In September 2005 Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe appointed him rector of the inter-diocesan major philosophy seminary in Kabgayi. On 10 February 2006 Kambanda was appointed rector of the Saint Charles Borromeo Major Seminary of Nyakibanda.^[1] He replaced Monseigneur Smaragde Mbonyintege, who had been named a bishop.^[2]

On 7 May 2013 Kambanda was nominated the Bishop of Kibungo diocese by the Pope Francis

Statements

Speaking in 2004 of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, Kambanda acknowledged that while some members of the Catholic clergy had tried to protect the people, others had been complicit in the killings.^[3] Kambanda has noted the need for the Catholic Church itself to undergo reconstruction to shake off the effects of the genocide. He has said "the use of the sacrament of penance for reconciliation and healing of ethnic hatred and the reconciliation with oneself, with God and with the others, would be significant to develop a faith characterized by trust that overcomes the fear of the other."^[4] In June 2011 he led five hundred Rwandan pilgrims to Namugongo, Uganda, to join the Martyrs Day ceremonies. These commemorated the 45 Christian converts who were killed in 1884 by King Mwanga II of Buganda. In his sermon, he said that the sacrifice the martyrs made had greatly helped the spread of Christianity in Africa by showing missionaries that converts would be willing to die for their faith.^[5]

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